On Friday Oct. 14, Buena Vista University (BVU) alumni judges will decide for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners for the Spirit Banner Competition as part of the 2016 Homecoming week. Director of Alumni Engagement, Amy Jones, and others have been working together with senior Haley Stevens, Student Activities Board vice president of Homecoming, on this project.

The goal was to bring back something from Homecomings past that current students would enjoy. They decided on the banner competition. Winners of the banner competition, which consisted of difference residence life units decorating Homecoming banners, will be announced at the coronation events on Friday night. Each residence hall and each Pierce/White floor had the opportunity to enter.

This competition was brought back place from the 1990’s.

“I was a student in the ’90’s and we did it then,” Jones said. “I have been working with BV for 18 years and I know it hasn’t been around.”

Jones works with the Alumni Association Board, which is a huge part of BVU. This year the Board’s involvement is even more special because of the 125th anniversary of BVU. Jones said the Alumni board continues to show its care around campus by getting involved in activities with the students, including judging this event.

“The board continues to plan events and help the University in many different ways. They set a goal late last year of wanting to get back to campus more often, do more interacting with students, and of course they love the BVU traditions,” Jones said.

After the 1st place winner is announced, their banner will be posted in the Residential Life Office along with a picture of them next to the Alumni Board judges. This trophy and photo will stay in the trophy case for a full year.  Jones said the tradition will start this year and then become a traveling trophy.

Judging occurs during the Homecoming coronation program on Friday, Oct. 14 from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Siebens Fieldhouse. Banner winners will be announced after the raffle prize winners are announced.

Image by: Alyssa Donnelly